It feels like it's back to winter in Embra. It's rained all day, roads flooded and closed, rivers and burns bursting their banks and the temperature hasn't risen much above 10 degrees. Things don't look that much better for the next few days either 🙁 The heating is back on and I'm sipping this fine blended malt from Douglas Laing.

Scallywag Three Peaks Blended Speyside Malts NCF, NC, NAS, 48% abv.

Loads of vanilla, dark chocolate and spices on the nose. Orange zest and sweet caramel hit the mouth along with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Long warming spicy finish. Perfect for a dreich miserable Edinburgh night.

#scotch #whisky #maltwhisky #Scotland

Our last evening in Northern Ireland and after a great sail down from Ballycastle to Glenarm we are sitting in the marina enjoying this fantastic blended malt from Thompson Brothers. It's an early start tomorrow to cover the 62 NM back to Largs, so just a couple.

Thompson Brothers SRV5 Blended Malt, 8 yo, NC, NCF, 48.5% abv
Lots of fruit, melon and pears with hints of citrus and I get the merest whiff of peat smoke. Waxy, creamy mouthfeel with more fruit and a bit of sweet shortbread. Medium zesty, warm finish with lingering grassy notes.

This is my second bottle of SRV5 and it is different from what I remember of the first - not surprising really considering the changing nature of the solera vat.

#whisky #scotch #maltwhisky #Scotland #NorthernIreland #sailing

Young whisky matured in decent well-chosen casks beats old whisky matured in tired foosty casks, every time.

Old Perth dates back to 1908 when it was first blended by Peter Thomson a wine and spirit merchant on Perth's High Street. Blended using Speyside malts matured in Oloroso or Pedro Ximenez hogsheads or butts and then matured for a further 15 months in first-fill Pedro Ximenez casks from Bodega José y Miguel Martin.

Quintessential PX dram on the nose, sticky, sweet raisins with spicy figs and prunes, rich toffee and hints of liquorice. A creamy oily, unctuous sherry-soaked fruit mouthful - cherries, spice and malty flavours. A lovely warming, nutty, spicy, and citrus orange finish.

This and a decent read, perfect for a cool, damp, Autumn evening!

Old Perth PX Blended Malt Whisky 56.2% abv, NAS, NCF, NC

#whisky #maltwhisky #Scotch #Scotland #whiskey

In today’s age of instant gratification there is something pleasingly slow about having to wait for a first batch whisky release. Six days until The Hearach from the Isle of Harris Distillery. Get in line!

#whisky #hearach #TheHearach #IsleofHarris #MaltWhisky #scotland

Ahhh. Ten years since the death of one of my favourite authors. Writer of strange fiction and science fiction, I'm raising a toast of a wee dram of malt whisky to Iain (M) Banks.

Here is a nice wee introduction to his oeuvre in The Guardian.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jun/29/where-to-start-with-iain-banks

#IainBanks #IainMBanks #sciencefiction #SciFi #scottishfiction #whisky #maltwhisky #literature #books

The weekend's dash to Campbeltown in pursuit of great #whisky.

#Scotch #Distillery #Scotland #MaltWhisky #Whiskey #Campbeltown #Sailing

https://yachtjess.net/whisky-dash

Home from a weekend of sailing around the Clyde and Loch Fyne and I am now relaxing and enjoying this wonderful blended malt. There are only a couple of drams left and I have really enjoyed this bottle of Thompson's SRV 5. I was thinking of getting another but might instead go for "Maclean's Nose" a 70% malt whisky blend from the Ardnamurchan distillery, which has had some very good reviews.

Thompson Brothers SRV5 8-Year-Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, NCF, NC, 48.5% abv

A lovely light honey colour in the glass, wafts of fruity green apples, and lemon zest with a touch of smoke - almost like burnt toast. A creamy oily mouthful with more lemon and apple and some mineral notes. A nice hit of alcohol. Gentle smoky finish, citrusy and a touch of grass.

#whisky #Scotch #MaltWhisky #Scotland #whiskey